More stories on the news this morning about the swine flu epidemic. One story caught my eye (and ear). A town about a half hour or so away from me was waiting on test results for two sick children, brother and sister about 8 years old, that have just gotten back from Mexico.

The town right next to me is also waiting with bated breath. If the kids do have swine flu this town plans on closing its schools. Not because of worry or hysteria but because the schools in both towns just completed a program together. Both children had participated after getting sick. The closings will be more precautionary until it is determined if any child locally also come down with it.

Just like any flu, this one is contracted by coming in contact with someone that has it or items that they have used. We’ve been hearing that some of the ways to help prevent catching it is to wash our hands frequently and not touch our face and eyes unless having washed. Masks are a third way; we can see Mexicans on the news using them as they go to work, shop, or do anything else that brings them in contact with other people.

It got me to thinking. We are having an explosion in physical and mental disabilities. Autism, for example, has gone from 1 in 10,000 in 1990 to 1 in 100 today. I don’t think that shaking hands and passing germs back and forth will necessarily cause bipolar disorder, autism, or any number of other disabilities (unless there is some kind of bacteria that interferes with brain function). And yes, our tests are more sophisticated so that we can recognize issues in more people.

But what is causing these issues? In the last 50 years there has been a major increase in the amount of contaminants we have put into our atmosphere. It is believed by a lot of scientists that these are contributing to global warming. I never hear what these could be doing to our bodies as well.

Also in the last 50 years the ingredients in our food have changed. There are a lot more chemicals and a lot more sugars (high fructose corn syrup) being introduced. At the very least we are becoming more obese.

My son cannot eat or drink anything with red dye in it because he will become very explosive within minutes of having it. There is something there that is affecting his brain.

There is a theory that ticks can cause CFS and as an extension, that mothers with CFS can pass the infection on to their unborn children affecting their brain development.

There may be many other possibilities too. I haven’t seen any studies to see how these could relate to the explosion of disabilities we are seeing. Sure there have been short term ones that seem to prove that nothing known causes these problems. But what about long term studies? During the Vietnam War the chemical known as Agent Orange was found not to cause any of the medical problems that the soldiers and veterans were having. Yet after a lot of years we are getting different results.

And if we were doing 30-50 year studies instead of 1-2 year studies might we find something more?

It seems to me that 20% of the population having a disability (according to NIH) is a high number.

What is causing all of this? What are your thoughts?

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